Rainy Days And Mondays
by Littleguinea
Summary: Sam is lying in bed with Jack, she should be blissfully happy - I know I would be!- however she can't help but feel down. A song is playing in her head and adding to her blue mood. What can Jack do to make things better?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This story is set just as they started their affair, so actually prior to the pilot episode. It was written very quickly so I hope it makes sense, please be kind! Thanks go to Diane for her super quick work as usual.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the show, unfortunately. The lyrics used in the story were written and performed by The Carpenters, no copyright infringement intended.

**Rating:** T

Rainy Days And Mondays

by

littleguinea

Sam woke to the sound of rain tapping gently on her apartment window. She knew it was Sunday. The warm, naked body lying next to her was the biggest giveaway-that and the fact that her alarm clock wasn't waking her up at an obscenely early hour of the morning.

She turned over, rested her head on her forearm and gazed out of the window. The rain was hitting the glass with far more purpose now. Irritatingly the words of a song kept playing over in her head, but she couldn't put a name to it.

Maria and the girls had taken to visiting Maria's ailing mother every other weekend. So Jack had decided to take advantage of that fact and stay over at Sam's apartment on the Saturday nights.

Sam wasn't going to complain. Sunday mornings were usually a mixture of excitement, sex and sweat and eventually a feeling of mutually satisfied exhaustion.

Today, though, Sam couldn't help but feel down. Maybe it was the rain. Or maybe it was the fact that she knew he would packing his hold-all after breakfast and leaving her again to go back to his wife.

_Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown…_

They hadn't long been seeing each other outside work, but Sam was concerned at how easily she had fallen for Jack.

When they were together at the FBI headquarters, she had to be careful not to throw him too many glances or smiles, just in case they were found out. She suspected that Viv already knew because her holier-than-thou look, every time Sam came out of Jack's office, was more than a little unsettling.

Sam had even thought about requesting a transfer to make things easier, she didn't feel like she fitted in any more, it was all too… messy.

_Sometimes I'd like to quit, nothing ever seems to fit…_

She felt guilty about his daughters because she couldn't help but hope that Jack would eventually drift further away from Maria. And if she had already left the FBI, then that would make things easier… wouldn't it?

But if she left, would Jack still be interested in her?

Her mind snapped back to the present as she concentrated on the raindrops jumping and dancing on the windowpane.

_What I got they used to call the blues…_

Yep, she certainly did feel blue today.

Jack had now turned round and she felt the hairs on his chest brush across her shoulders, the heat from his groin rub against the small of her back. His arm crept slowly over her waist, fingers trailed lazily across her stomach. She could tell he was half asleep as he abruptly stopped his exploration, and she heard his breathing become heavier and more rhythmic once again. His hot breath left a moist trace on her neck.

She turned now to look at him.

_Funny but it seems I always wind up here with you…_

God he was so handsome.

She really never stood a chance of resisting his advances, not that it had all been one way. From the moment Sam had secured her position within Jack's team, she'd been physically attracted to him. Ashamedly, she'd found herself imagining what it would be like to make love to him.

Obviously she knew he was married and she'd never ever thought that she would become anyone's "other" woman. Jack Malone was different, though; he commanded a presence that was unimaginably difficult to resist.

They'd flirted with each other from the word go it seemed. She even suspected that he was coming on to her during her induction interview, but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Suddenly Sam realised that Jack was awake and staring inquisitively into her eyes.

"Hey," he whispered.

"I thought you were still asleep," she replied.

"I can't stay asleep very long like this," he smirked and as he raised the sheets, she could see that as per usual he was ready for action.

"You are unbelievable, Jack Malone," she quipped.

"I know, but that's why you love me… isn't it?" came his sarcastic and yet surprising reply.

"Is that what this is, Jack?"

He mumbled an indecipherable reply as he buried his head in her hair and started to tug at her ear lobe. Right on cue the goose bumps appeared on her skin and she tingled all over in anticipation of yet more mind-blowing sex with the man lying next to her, which should have been way off limits.

Despite all the inner conflict that their relationship was causing her, she found herself succumbing to him once again.

The rain kept on pouring, becoming stronger and stronger as if setting the pace for their frantic lovemaking.

_Funny but it seems that it's the only thing to do, to run and find the one who loves me…_

Finally, they lay beside each other, spent on the bed, beads of sweat dripped down Jack's back.

"I better get a shower," he said despondently.

"Okay, I'll make you some breakfast before you get going," Sam sighed.

She put on her robe and went into the kitchen to make them something to eat. She could hear Jack in the shower, washing away any evidence of their lovemaking. Washing her away.

Breakfast was consumed in silence, and Sam knew that Jack could sense her melancholy mood.

_What I feel is come and gone before, no need to talk it out, we know what it's all about…_

Having packed his bag, Jack turned to Sam and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I'm sorry but I have to go. Maria will be back by lunch time and…" Jack's words were silenced as Sam placed her finger delicately over his lips and then she kissed him firmly before opening the apartment door.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow, okay?" he said.

"Okay," was all that Sam could manage.

The door shut and she was alone once again.

_Hangin' around nothing to do but frown…_

The rain continued for the rest of that day and Sam took herself off to bed early. She wondered what Jack would be doing now? Playing with his girls or playing at being a good husband with Maria.

Her mood certainly hadn't lifted and she hoped that a new day would bring with it a new frame of mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Same woke to the sound of rain lashing against her apartment window. She knew it was Monday. There was no warm, naked body beside her and her alarm clock had suffered irreparable damage as she had flung it across the other side of her bedroom.

After showering and then eating a rushed breakfast, she made her way to the office.

She walked towards the bullpen and was stopped in her tracks by the sound of Jack's voice.

"Good Morning, Agent Spade," said Jack in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"Is it?" she asked walking straight past, tired that it was business as usual once again. Back to reality.

He raised an eyebrow, "Is everything okay, Sam?"

Sam turned, and then she remembered. "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down, Agent Malone," she shouted over her shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I hadn't intended continuing with this story but it just sort of happened, so here we have Chapter 2! Just warning people now that Jack isn't going to come out of this in a very good light as far as his wife and family are concerned, but hey, we knew he'd had an affair and it didn't stop us from liking him… right? Thanks as always to Diane not only for her beta work but also for the ideas she has given me while writing this story.

Chapter 2

Jack's eyes followed Sam as she made her way into the bullpen. She threw her bag down onto the desk and proceeded to take off her jacket.

Danny and Viv said good morning, but quickly put their heads back down after they heard her mumbled reply. They knew from past experience that it was best to keep out of her way until her first caffeine fix.

_The Carpenters... _since when had she been into_ The Carpenters? _mused Jack, still watching her every move.

He knew she'd been in a strange mood the previous morning. But he couldn't really understand it because now that he was finally finding the time to spend with her at weekends, he thought she would be happy.

In doing so, he felt even more like a complete shit, since Maria was spending _her_ weekends looking after her mother. He had offered his support to his wife but she'd declined, quite forcefully, said he'd just be in the way, and seemed more than happy to go alone with the girls.

Jack never thought he'd cheat on his wife-he wasn't the type, or at least he didn't think he was. He loved his daughters and he used to love Maria. They'd been really happy together once; their two beautiful girls were a testament to that.

For a while now, though, his marriage had been stale, they had drifted apart for several reasons, and it had been easy to fall into a relationship with Sam. Her smile lit up the room and she had such a bubbly personality, he found himself almost instantly attracted to her.

Somehow, though, Jack sensed that Sam was going through a sort of crisis of confidence over their affair. He hated using the word affair. What he had with Sam was more than that.

Perhaps he really didn't know that much about her, though. He certainly wasn't aware of her tastes in music… "_The Carpenters"_, he mouthed to himself and shook his head.

A knock on his office door jolted him out of his daydream.

"Morning, Jack," said Viv as she walked towards his desk.

"Hi, Viv. Got anything new for me on the Spencer case?" asked Jack, as he shuffled the papers around on his desk in order to locate the case file.

"Er, no, sorry, but I do have a message for you from Training Branch."

"Really?" inquired Jack, a little taken aback. He didn't recall having requested any courses for the team lately.

"There's a criminal profiling course that Van Doren has requested you attend," said Viv.

"Great… nice of her to tell me about it," groaned Jack. "Exactly which day does she think I can spare to go and learn what I already know?"

"Ohhh… I'm afraid it's worse than that Jack… she has you down for a residential course the weekend after next. It's a new one they are testing at the moment – _Criminal Profiling, An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis_. " Viv couldn't help but smile as she imparted the unwelcome news.

Jack's head fell into his hands, "Fantastic, now she's using me as a guinea pig. Well, thanks for letting me know… I think!"

"No problem and I'll get everyone together so we can go over the Spencer case, okay, Jack?"

"What, er – yeah okay, I'll be out in few minutes. I need to call Van Doren," was Jack's distracted reply.

Chuckling to herself, Viv turned and left his office.

That was all he needed. Sam would be in an even greater funk when she found out that he wouldn't be able to stay over, or even _see_ her that weekend.

_Wonder if Van Doren would authorise another member of the team to come along? - _was the sudden, ludicrous idea that filled Jack's head.

Sam definitely needed to attend a profiling course, she'd already had all the compulsory training, but a bit more wouldn't do any harm… would it?

He shook his head - no that would be too obvious; he was just going to have to find some way of making it up to her. He was pretty sure he'd think of something suitable.

XXXXX

The rest of the week passed uneventfully. There were no further developments in their current missing person's case and Jack was going to have to decide whether the time was right to wind down their investigations.

"Hey," said Sam as she stumbled across him in the break room.

"Hey, to you too," he replied, flashing her one of his special smiles.

"What are you going to say to Van Doren about the case, ask her for some extra time?" inquired Sam.

"Huh, no, I don't think so. We've been reaching dead ends for a few weeks now, and I can't see anything changing," sighed Jack. "Besides, I think the Spencers have resigned themselves to the fact that we aren't going to find Josh alive. They know we can't go on forever… however much we might want to."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Jack could see Sam playing awkwardly with the rim of her coffee cup. Oh, how he wished that he could just reach out and take her hand. But even if he was certain that there was no one around, he couldn't take the chance of bringing their relationship into work. That's why their weekends together were so special.

Suddenly he remembered his profiling course and let out a deep sigh.

"You okay?" asked Sam.

"I guess so," Jack whispered. "Actually… there's something I've been putting off telling you."

Sam looked up so that he had her full attention.

"Van Doren has signed me up for some damn residential course weekend after next. It means I won't be able to come over on the Saturday night," he said in an extremely hushed voice.

The silence was deafening, and as Jack looked up from his soda, he could see Sam staring at him intently. Obviously, this wasn't good, but she hadn't screamed at him, so it was better than the reaction he was expecting.

Finally, Sam spoke, "Maybe it's for the best, Jack. I've been doing a lot of thinking since Sunday and… and I'm not so sure that I can carry on with this, it's just too hard…" Sam's voice trailed off as she reached for her coffee cup and stood up.

Looking around, Jack grabbed Sam's wrist. "_Hard_, this is hard for _you_. I really can't work you out sometimes, Sam."

She wrenched her wrist from his grasp, "I didn't force you to commit adultery, Jack," she hissed at him as she walked swiftly away.

Jack crushed his soda bottle and threw it into the trashcan. He knew she was upset, but he had no idea that she was thinking of ending it. When they were together, it was like nothing could come between them. At least that's how he felt and he thought those were Sam's feelings too.

Maybe it was a lot more than just her taste in music that he had no idea about.

XXXXX

It seemed like Sam had spent the majority of the previous day doing everything she could to avoid him. She hadn't even called him later on that evening, like she usually did while he was still in the office.

Jack was on call that weekend along with Sam, but he prayed that they wouldn't get called into the office. He didn't think he could stand the strained atmosphere any longer.

Maria had taken the girls to do some clothes shopping and Jack had made his excuses. The thought of spending his Saturday morning standing in a cramped and stuffy shop, full of pre-pubescent girls all cooing over the latest designer top, was enough to make him offer to clean up their apartment.

Cleaning, however, wasn't one of Jack Malone's many talents, so he flicked the duster around where he could. Actually moving objects would have been way too thorough, so he just wiped round things - that would do. When he was finished, he planned to settle down with a well-earned cup of coffee and a crossword.

He reached their CD collection and started flicking through. Actually, most were Maria's. She was proud of her organisational skills, so, of course, everything was alphabetically filed.

His finger stopped as it came to the "C's". The Carpenters… he didn't even know that Maria had any of their music.

He eased the disc out of the case and placed it in the player.

Of course, he knew who The Carpenters were and after listening to a few tracks, he was actually impressed by how beautifully Karen Carpenter could sing.

"Rainy Days and Mondays" started playing. After it finished he sat down on the edge of the sofa. Well, if that was the song that had stuck in Sam's head, she really must have been depressed, and he could understand now how she'd been feeling.

Losing her would be way too painful. She meant so much to him, probably more than she knew. There had to be a way of making her see that there could be a future for them.

Jack slid down onto the sofa and closed his eyes, while he listened to the rest of the CD playing through. One particular song stuck in his mind as he eventually carried on with his housework.

Hanna and Kate were buzzing with excitement when they returned and treated Jack to an impromptu fashion parade.

Jack enjoyed a pleasant weekend with his family; even Maria managed to be civil to him. She was slightly amused when she saw her Carpenters CD still nestling in the player and quizzed him as to his sudden liking for the group.

He made a mental note that he'd have to be a little more careful in the future not to do anything that was too out of character for him, just in case Maria started to suspect something was wrong.

There hadn't been any call into work, which was a relief, and Jack hadn't been surprised that there had been no contact from Sam. He was the one who usually called _her_ at weekends, when the opportunity arose. This weekend, however, he felt it was best to give her some space. There would be plenty of time to talk tomorrow… he hoped.

~ tbc ~


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jack put his arm against the elevator doors, holding them open to allow the occupants to depart and scuttle away to their offices.

He walked along the corridor and cast a glance towards the bullpen. Everyone was there sitting around the conference table with coffees in hand. Sam appeared to be in a better mood as she shared a joke with Danny and Viv.

_No new cases_, he thought, quite relieved as he entered his office and took off his jacket.

As soon as he walked towards his desk, he noticed a large yellow note attached to his lamp. It was from Van Doren. As he read it, a smile spread across his face. He pulled the note off the lamp, crumpled it up and threw it into his waste paper basket.

_No time like the present_, he thought as he walked from his office towards the bullpen. As if sensing his presence, Sam looked up and he gestured her to follow him.

Viv and Danny glanced knowingly at each other before continuing with their conversation.

As the door closed behind them, Jack turned to look at Sam, "Sooo… how was your weekend?"

"Oh, you know… dull," replied Sam, bluntly.

_Well, that attempt to break the ice worked well,_ he thought.

"Sam, look, I know you weren't happy last weekend, but I…"

"Wait - Jack, I really need to try and explain what was going on in my stupid head," interrupted Sam.

"It's okay, I understand how you must feel about our situation," Jack replied. "It_ isn't_ easy for me, but I see now that it must be a lot harder for you."

"No, err- I mean yes, but…" Sam's frustration was taking hold. "Look, I'm sorry, Jack, I shouldn't have said what I did; it wasn't fair.

Jack had now perched on the edge of his desk and Sam sat down on the black leather sofa beside his door.

"Well, it did hurt a little. But I suppose I deserved it," Jack admitted.

Sam managed an apologetic smile and the atmosphere lightened.

"Sorry, you wanted to tell me something?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, err… you know that course I was supposed to be on this weekend?" to which Sam nodded. "Well, it's been cancelled due to lack of guinea pigs – sorry, I should say _participants_," said Jack, rolling his eyes.

Sam continued to give Jack her undivided, but silent attention.

This was harder than he expected. He thought that once he told her his news everything would be back to normal. She would be happy that their plans for the weekend wouldn't be disrupted.

"I thought you'd be pleased, Sam. It means I can come over as usual on Saturday afternoon. That's if you want me to?" Jack wasn't sure that he actually wanted to hear Sam's reply.

"I _do_ want you to come over, but having you with me for such a small amount of time just makes me need you all the more," Sam's voice started to falter, but she composed herself and carried on, "I know it's selfish of me, but I'm jealous – jealous of what Maria has and I don't."

Sam looked a little ashamed, but at least they both now knew that their relationship wasn't over- far from it.

Jack watched as Sam struggled to control her emotions. He glanced outside his office to see who was around. It was way too busy.

"Sam, if we were anywhere else but here, I'd be over there giving you the biggest hug, but you know I can't." He moved across to stand above her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Even that was pretty risky, but why shouldn't he be able to show concern for a colleague?

"I'm going to make it up to you, just leave it to me. This weekend will be our best ever… promise," he brushed some hair behind her ear and then quickly moved away.

The temptation to kiss her was getting too strong and he needed to get a sufficient distance between them to prevent him from doing something he would later regret.

As Sam stood up, she looked at Jack and flashed him the brightest smile that she could manage.

"Okay, I'll leave it in your capable hands," she teased.

"That's better," said Jack.

And then she turned to leave but looked over her shoulder. "You know I'm not easy to please, right – so I'm expecting something impressive."

With that, she turned and left his office.

_Something impressive_ – Jack Malone didn't really do impressive. This wasn't going to be easy, but he knew he had to get it just right. He didn't want to lose her.

xxxxx

"Yes, Mr. Jackson, that's great. I really appreciate it. We'll be there as soon as we can, so see you Friday," Jack said. He replaced the phone and sat back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head.

Well, if Sam wasn't happy with a secluded cabin, nestled in the woods on the shores of Lake Fairview in the Poconos, then she really was _way_ too hard to please.

After their somewhat stilted conversation the other day, Jack had figured that he really did need to pull out all the stops.

Maria already thought he was away for the weekend and she wouldn't be around anyway, so what was the harm in pretending that he was still attending the course?

Deceit didn't come easy to Jack, but he seemed to be getting quite good at it – he was being ruled by his heart and not his head. Now he just had to tell Sam about their plans without giving too much away.

He grabbed his coffee and sat back in his chair, pleased with his morning's work.

A knock on the door prompted Jack to quickly cover the leaflet that he'd been poring over with a pile of paperwork.

Danny sauntered in with Sam beside him. They both stood in front of Jack's desk not dissimilar to two naughty school children.

"Hey, Jack," said Danny. "I've been invited to a high school reunion, so Sam has offered to do my on call for the weekend. I hope that's okay."

Jack almost spat his coffee across the desk and proceeded to choke on the mouthful that he'd actually managed to swallow.

Danny quickly ran round the desk and patted his boss on the back.

Jack gave Sam a look that said _what the hell are doing_. She stared back at him, rather amused at the sight of Danny desperately trying to keep his boss alive so that he'd agree to their roster change.

"Err, Sam," spluttered Jack, now composing himself and gesturing Danny to stop slapping him on the back and return to the other side of the desk. "Didn't you say you had some _impressive do_ to go to this weekend?"

"Well, I do but I was in two minds about whether it was worth the aggravation," she taunted.

"Oh, right, well if that's how you feel about it," replied a rather disgruntled Jack.

Not able to keep up the torment any longer, Sam turned to Danny, "Actually, Danny, Jack's right. I have a family get together to go to, and I had thought of getting out of it." Turning to smile at Jack she continued, "But I guess I should make the effort."

Danny looked a little confused and couldn't quite figure out what was going on in front of him.

"Ohhhh-kay, well I'll just go and ask Viv. She owes me a weekend," Danny mumbled, as he made his way to the office door.

"I'll be out in a minute, Danny," Sam told her bemused colleague.

As soon as the door shut behind Danny, Jack hissed under his breath. "What the hell was _that_?"

"What? I was just having a bit of fun."

"It wouldn't have been fun if we got found out. Danny already looks like he suspects something's going on," said an exasperated Jack.

"Nah, Danny wouldn't suspect anything even if we were making out right under his nose," Sam laughed.

"I'm glad to see you're back to your _normal_ self, but we can't get complacent, Sam," Jack pleaded.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself, but you're right. I need to take it more seriously."

They both nodded and Sam asked, "What's the problem with me being on call anyway; there are plenty of times that I'm on call on our weekends?"

"You couldn't be on call because there's no way you'd be able to get into the office in time," Jack whispered. "Listen, we shouldn't talk about this here."

Sam was intrigued now. "Okay, I'll call you later on when I get home," and with that, she returned to the bullpen and joined her colleagues.

xxxxx

Viv had just taken a call. They had a new case and Danny was already starting to prepare the timeline.

Even if Jack hadn't intended to stay late that day, he really didn't have any choice now. Ella Watson, a schoolteacher from the West Bronx had gone missing the previous lunchtime. She'd walked out as usual to pick up something to eat from the nearby deli market, but she'd failed to return to school for the afternoon session.

Danny and Sam had been sent off to gather information from her colleagues, while Viv and Jack visited her distraught husband.

They hadn't managed to gather a great deal of information, but they did discover that one of the students in her class had threatened her the previous day. The fact that he had connections to one of the most feared gangs in the area, and he was also absent that afternoon, all pointed towards his involvement in her unexpected disappearance.

Not surprisingly, tracking down the main suspect wasn't proving easy. Danny had been chasing down leads all afternoon and he had finally come up with a firm address where they were told they would find the aggrieved student.

Viv and Sam had left only about thirty minutes previously but had promised that they would take the early shift the following day.

Just as Jack was about to leave his office to join Danny, his telephone rang.

"Malone," he answered.

"Hey, Jack, how's it going?" asked Sam.

"Okay, but I can't talk right now. Danny has a lead and I'm just going to meet up with him before we raid this guy."

"Of course, it's fine. You just asked me to ring you, that's all."

"Yes… I did. Look about the weekend, all I'm gonna say is, we aren't spending it at your place. You need to pack warm clothes and whatever else you need for two nights away from home," Jack said.

"Woah, right, didn't expect that, but great, look forward to it… whatever _it_ is," Sam said excitedly.

"Gotta go, see you tomorrow," said Jack.

"Yeah, you be careful, okay," said Sam softly.

"I will," Jack replied and with that he hung up and grabbed his jacket before moving hastily towards the elevator.

~ tbc ~


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Through force of habit, Sam glanced at Jack's office as she walked past. She knew he wasn't due in yet, but surprisingly she noticed Jack's jacket over the back of his chair, his desk lamp was turned on and the blinds were partially drawn.

She peered through his door and spotted him lying flat out on the sofa.

Opening the door quietly, she walked over to his desk and silently turned off the lamp. Turning to tiptoe out of the room, she was halted by the sound of Jack's dry, husky voice.

"I assume it's morning."

"I'm afraid so," said Sam, resting now on the arm of the sofa.

Jack sat up and stretched before running his fingers through his tousled hair.

"Didn't seem much point going home by the time Danny and I got back last night, or I should say _this morning_," Jack yawned.

His shirt had ridden up at the back and Sam leaned over to pull it down past his belt. In doing so she brushed against his slightly sweaty skin and he looked across at her.

"You could have come to my place," she smiled.

"I did think about it, but I didn't want to disturb you so early."

"Some things are worth being disturbed for," she whispered as she leaned down and quickly kissed him on the cheek.

As she stood up and left his office, Jack just hoped that they would wrap the case up quickly and that Friday would come round in a flash. It was way too long since he'd woken up beside her.

xxxxx

Danny's timeline was becoming more and more confusing.

He and Jack hadn't found their suspect, but they had discovered that Ella Watson was friendlier than she should be with some of her students. Whether or not she was being forced into these liaisons was yet to be seen.

Sean Perez was ostensibly a loner, and the team had managed to rule out any connection between Ella's disappearance and his involvement with the local gang. In fact, they were unusually keen to distance themselves from him by providing as much information as they could manage.

It was nearly forty-eight hours now since Ella Watson had disappeared. The team's main suspect was being elusive to say the least.

The following day, though, they got a break as Perez was spotted filling up Ella Watson's car at a nearby gas station. While paying, the owner had recognised his picture from the local news the night before.

He paid for his fuel and bought one or two supplies and then calmly left the gas station. It wasn't long before he was apprehended and brought into the FBI building.

Under interrogation it became clear that Ella Watson hadn't been abducted, she had actually gone willingly with Sean and they had planned to leave the area together. Their disagreement in school had been a deliberate attempt to mislead her colleagues.

He told Jack the name of the motel where they would find her. All that remained now was to bring her in and question her about her relationship with Sean. He was a minor, so she would face charges, but there were a lot of questions that needed answers first.

As far as Jack was concerned, this couldn't be better. They'd found their missing person, and all that was left was to tie up loose ends and write up their reports. Now he just had to pray that they didn't get any new cases so that he and Sam could slip away unnoticed on Friday evening.

xxxxx

Jack's prayers were answered and Friday came around without too many complications.

He and Sam hadn't had a lot of time to finalise arrangements for the weekend, but they had agreed that he would pick her up at 6.00pm from her apartment. Sam had the afternoon off to prepare for her fictitious family get-together.

Bob Jackson knew that they would be a bit late arriving, so Jack wasn't too worried. He figured that they should be able to make it by 8.30 at the latest and that would include a stop off for something to eat. He had plans for later that evening, which didn't include eating.

There were a few last-minute things that Jack needed to get hold of before they set off, so he used his lunch break to nip out and purchase the essential supplies that would really make the weekend one to remember.

Back in his office, he glanced at his watch-4.30pm. Somehow the afternoon felt longer than the whole week put together.

Jack had brought everything he needed into the office. As far as Maria was concerned, he was setting off for his course straight from work.

His cell phone rang. He saw from the caller ID that it was Sam.

"Hey, all set?" he asked.

"Just about… you sure I only need to take casual stuff?"

"Yep, you won't need many clothes," Jack replied suggestively.

"I hope you don't think we're spending the whole weekend in bed, Agent Malone?"

"And that would be wrong because….? No, don't worry we won't be, although I can't think of many better ways to spend the weekend," Jack laughed.

"I'll try and be with you by 5.30 if I can; just depends if I can slip away without any fuss."

"No problem, I'm ready now," said an eager Sam.

"I can't wait to get away from here, Sam. Just you, me and nobody else to worry about."

"Me too - Jack, I…" Sam hesitated, "I really want to be with you, never forget that, no matter how messed up my head gets sometimes."

"I know, see you soon, honey," Jack said as he flipped his phone shut and placed it back in his jacket pocket.

Time to go and get changed and then make a quick exit. There was no way he was going to keep Sam waiting.

xxxxx

After a quick change, he gathered his stuff together and made his way out of the building, towards his car. Not long now and they would be on their way.

It was a bright but chilly evening, just right for what Jack had planned when they arrived.

Sam was looking out of her apartment window when Jack pulled up. She made her way down the steps, carrying a hold-all bag.

"You're on time," said Sam cheerfully.

Jack smiled and greeted her with a kiss and then took her bag from her and put it in the trunk.

Nobody would know him around here, but he didn't want to take any chances, so as soon as they were both comfortable, he set off.

"Gonna give me any clues then?" she asked.

Jack glanced across at her, "Nope, you'll find out soon enough."

He reached down and switched on the CD player.

"Nice… I didn't know you were into this type of music," said Sam. "Chris Botti if I'm not mistaken."

"Yep, just picked it up at the record store down the road, heard it playing and thought it would be nice and relaxing for the journey."

"So, this is gonna take some time then?"

Jack just nodded, so Sam settled further down in her seat. She slipped her hand across to Jack's thigh and that's where it remained for the majority of the journey. Every now and again on a quiet stretch of road, Jack would relax and place his hand on top of hers.

Jack's greatest wish was that they could stay like this forever.

~ tbc ~


	5. Chapter 5

A/N - Jack and Sam weren't together for very long when they had their affair, but I like to believe that they shared a really close affection for each other during this time. I would like to thank Diane again for her help and support with this story. Disclaimer - The lyrics used in this chapter were written by Burt Bacharach & Hal David and performed by The Carpenters. No copyright infringement is intended

Chapter 5

They stopped for something to eat at a roadside diner, which had been adequate, but they hadn't lingered any more than necessary. Jack was eager to get to the cabin and he was also conscious of keeping the owner waiting.

After setting off once more, it hadn't been long into the journey before Sam had fallen asleep. But as Jack reached their destination, he had to drive up a dirt track to get to the cabin. The uneven surface made his car jump and roll and it quickly woke Sam from her slumber.

After rubbing her eyes, she saw the cabin in front of them.

"Oh my God," she said in disbelief. "This is where we're staying?"

"Pretty neat, huh… d'ya like it?" Jack smiled.

She leaned across and kissed Jack on the lips. "Does that answer your question?"

"Guess so," he laughed. "Oh, that must be the guy that owns this place; you wait here a minute."

Jack hurried over to Bob Jackson. "Thanks for waiting around for us."

"No problem, Mr. Malone. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of setting up the fire for you. It's gonna be a chilly night and you want to be as snug as you can in there."

"That's great, thanks - and the hot tub?" asked Jack.

"Just round the back on the deck, overlooking the lake, and that's all fired up for you too."

"Couldn't be better," said Jack as he accepted the keys from the owner.

"Enjoy your weekend," said Bob Jackson. As he turned to leave, he winked at Jack while nodding towards Sam, who was still sitting in the car and looking decidedly fidgety.

Sam waved politely to Bob Jackson as he passed by. Then she hurriedly got out and joined Jack beside the cabin.

The cabin nestled in the woods on the shores of the lake. It was surrounded by huge rhododendron bushes that would burst into a profusion of color in the springtime.

A fair amount of land also surrounded it, so it was most definitely what you would call secluded.

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "It's beautiful, Jack."

"Not as beautiful as you," he replied as he scooped her up and carried her towards the cabin door.

"Whoa, watch your knee," said a concerned Sam.

"Right at this moment, I think I'm fit enough for anything."

"Good to know," she whispered in his ear.

For the first time during their relationship Jack felt free, like there was no one else in the world except for them. No responsibilities, no worries… nothing to come between them.

The cabin door creaked open and the warmth of the leaping and crackling flames in the stone fireplace welcomed them. On the floor was a large, thick and sumptuous looking rug and huge windows overlooked the lake.

Jack allowed Sam's legs to drop to the floor and she stood there in amazement. "I _have_ to be dreaming."

"There's something I've got to do outside. Do you think you can unpack the things if I bring it all in?" asked Jack.

"Sure, but isn't there anything I can help you with out there?"

"Not right now, no… maybe later though," Jack grinned.

As soon as Sam was safely tucked away in the bedroom sorting out their stuff, Jack set about preparing his surprise.

xxxxx

After a short while Sam heard the door slam shut and she went through to see if Jack had returned.

He stood there rubbing his hands together to warm himself. "It's a bit cold out there now; think we need to do something to warm ourselves up."

Joining Sam in the bedroom, he took a look around and saw the huge four-poster bed.

Sam put her arms around his waist, "You certainly know what impressive means."

"Well, technically they usually rent this cabin out to newlyweds, so it doesn't get any better than this."

"Hmm, I could certainly get used to it," said Sam, who was now slowly unbuttoning Jack's coat.

One by one they peeled their layers of clothing away. It had been a few days since they had been able to be so intimate with each other and Jack became aroused very quickly.

He stared at Sam's naked body, savoring her beautiful curves. Taking her hand, he led her to the bed.

Sitting on the edge, he spread his legs and positioned her so that she was standing right between them. Jack put his hands on her waist and he pulled her slowly towards him. His hands moved round to her buttocks and then carefully down the backs of her thighs to her calves. They repeated their journey back up the front of her legs until his hands rested once more at her waist.

Sam put her hands on the top of Jack's shoulders and then knelt on the bed so that she was straddling his lap. He slipped his arms around her back, his hands caressing her as they made their way towards her shoulder blades.

Carefully he took one of her nipples between his teeth and traced circles with his tongue until it was nice and hard. Reaching up, he captured her lips with his. It was a deep, hungry kiss, which left them both breathless.

Sam now gently pushed against Jack's shoulders and he flopped down onto the bed. He took her breasts in his hands and rubbed his thumbs roughly against her nipples. She reached down between her legs and she could feel Jack, warm and hard. Raising herself off the bed a little, she guided him and then eased herself down onto him.

Jack slid into her in one fluid movement. "God," he gasped, "you're amazing."

She started to rock on her knees, putting her hands on her heels behind her for balance.

As the momentum built up, Sam's head began to tip backwards and she closed her eyes, overcome by the exquisite feel of Jack deep inside of her. She was biting her bottom lip, and Jack could see the look of pure pleasure etched on her face.

Eager to take control, Jack sat up and coaxed Sam to put her legs out behind him. He then maneuvered them so that Sam was now the one lying on the bed.

"My turn," he whispered in her ear. He could hear her soft moans of enjoyment as he kissed and nipped her neck. His lips then travelled down towards her collarbone.

All he wanted to do was to pleasure her and ensure that she was fully satisfied by their lovemaking. He could tell from the goose bumps that she was enjoying his attention.

Sam stopped him continuing by lifting his chin and whispering hungrily, "I want us to do this now."

Jack entered her again, just as seamlessly as the first time. Her nails scraped down his chest and quickly he was in his stride. He pushed, harder and harder and she responded by pushing against him so that he penetrated her deeply.

He didn't want to stop, but Jack could feel the blood surging through his tingling body. He could feel the pressure building within him and as he looked at Sam, who was shuddering and jerking, it tipped him over the edge and he came with such a force that he almost collapsed onto her.

"Jesus, Sam," he gasped as he rolled over to her side and pulled her tightly to him.

"You okay?" she asked, a little worried by the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

"Oh, yeah… more than okay."

They lay together, arms and legs entwined for several minutes until Jack leaned over and after placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he said, "How about some fresh air?"

Sam snuggled into him, "Isn't it a bit cold out there, especially when it's _so_ warm in here?"

Jack coaxed her up from the bed and said, "I think you'll find it'll be pretty cozy out there too."

They freshened up in the bathroom and after putting on their robes he took her by the hand and led her out of the cabin.

The chill of the air hit them. Jack wrapped his arm around her and Sam pulled her robe tightly round herself

"Close your eyes," he said, and he led her onto the deck area at the back of the cabin. It was a clear night and the moon's reflection bathed the surface of the lake in what seemed like a magical glow.

After lighting the candles, he turned to Sam and said, "Okay, you can open them now."

The first thing she noticed was the steam rising up into the night, and then she saw the bright red rose petals around the hot tub. The scent of ylang-ylang drifted in the air, and the flames from the candles danced and flickered in the light breeze. Two large glasses of red wine stood on the edge of the tub.

He held the collar of her robe as she slipped out of it. He then took her hand and helped her into the tub. After removing his own robe, he joined her in the soothingly warm water. She settled between his legs with her back resting against his chest.

After pressing a button on the remote control, his plans were complete. Soft music began to drift out of the cabin window.

_Why do birds suddenly appear, every time you are near, just like me they long to be, close to you…_

"Err, oh my God," she said, and for a second Sam was stunned. "You're playing The Carpenters?"

She spun herself so that she was now sitting on his knee, her arms draped around his neck.

"This is the song I want you to think of when you think about us, not the depressing one that got you all worked up the last time we were together."

_Why do stars fall down from the sky every time you walk by, just like me they long to be close to you…_

"This says it all. I couldn't even try and explain how I feel about you any better than this song does." Jack's eyes were heavy with emotion, "Being with you is one of the most important things in my life right now, apart from the girls; you are my life, Sam."

_On the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true. So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue…_

Sam rested her forehead against his as they listened to the words drifting out across the tranquil lake. "I love you, Jack. I know that I shouldn't, but I just can't stop myself."

"Love you too," and as he said it, Sam snuggled into his neck and he rested his chin on her head.

They sat there in silence enjoying the music and sipping at the now rather cool wine. It didn't matter, though, as the soothing warmth of the water and the closeness of their bodies soon had them tired but contented.

"Time to take advantage of that fire, I think," said Jack to a very sleepy Sam.

As they both got out of the tub, they quickly put their robes back on. After blowing out the candles, they made their way back into the cabin and settled down on the rug in front of the fire for what was left of the evening.

xxxxx

The following morning Jack woke first. Snow was falling heavily as he looked out of the window.

Sam was still sleeping soundly and so he took the opportunity to just enjoy lying next to her, knowing that he didn't have to rush to get dressed and get back to his apartment.

Jack had fallen asleep in front of the open fire the previous night, and he had woken a little stiff and cold to find Sam with her arms wrapped round him, also blissfully asleep.

As he stretched his aching legs, she had woken and they both made their way to the four-poster bed where they lay, holding each other for the rest of the night in a deep, restful sleep.

"Are we still here or was it all a dream and we're back in New York?" asked a groggy Sam.

"Still here, and look, it's even snowing outside."

Sam moved closer to Jack, and turning on her side, she put her left leg over his and draped her arm across his chest. "I'll take your word for it."

"Ah - ah, don't go back to sleep, time for breakfast," said Jack as he moved Sam's arm and started to get out of bed.

Sam grabbed him and groaned, "Ugh… hang on - I was hoping we might get a repeat of last night - what's the rush?"

"Plenty of time for that. Let's go and have some fun in the snow; it's a shame to waste it."

With that, Jack got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

Not wanting him to get away with it that easily, Sam followed him into the shower and they had a lot of fun making sure that they were clean and refreshed, ready for the day ahead.

Jack prepared breakfast while Sam got dressed and dried her hair.

As they ate, Sam kept reaching over the table to touch his hand. Jack smiled to himself. He loved the intimacy that they were being able to show each other and he hoped that he had proved to Sam that he _was_ serious about their relationship.

"So, what surprises do you have waiting for me today?" laughed Sam.

"We-ell, I thought we could maybe go snowboarding. I know that there are facilities nearby."

Sam glared at him, "You're joking… right?"

He couldn't help but laugh when he saw the look on her face. "Yeah, I'm joking," he nodded, still trying to compose himself.

"Well, you know, you've really surprised me. I didn't realize that Jack Malone could be such an old romantic," she teased.

"Hey, less of the old, and actually I have been known to make the odd romantic gesture." As soon as he said it, he knew that it was a mistake.

"Lucky Maria," Sam sighed and finishing her breakfast she left the table, and walked back into the bedroom.

_You stupid fucking idiot_ he thought. It was the worst thing he could have said. His life with Maria was the last thing that Sam had wanted to be reminded of.

He thought it best to give her some space, so he cleared the breakfast things away and then followed her through to the bedroom.

Sam was sitting beside the window staring out at the snow, which was still falling heavily and making quite an impression on the ground below.

"Hey… I'm sorry," whispered Jack as he knelt down between her legs, resting his forearms on her knees. "I didn't mean to upset you; that's the last thing I want to do."

"I know, it's just we can't even escape it here. You're married Jack, so what future is there for us?"

"I can't make you any promises, Sam. I wish I could, but I _do_ have another life back in New York," he said, taking her hands in his. "But… I wish that it were you that I woke up to every morning, and you that I came home to every night. I wish…" Sighing deeply, he looked into Sam's eyes.

Shaking his head sadly, he continued, "I don't know where we'll be in a few months time, but I need you to know that whatever happens, Sam… I'll always be there for you…always."

She cupped his face in her hands and silenced his words with a kiss. "I know you will be. I've never been more certain about anything in my life, Jack."

They stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like forever, silent words telling them that for the moment they were okay, more than okay.

"Come on, let's not waste this snow. I think I'll be quite good at snowboarding," laughed Sam, as she pulled him up from the floor.

As they got their jackets on and made their way out of the cabin door, Jack had no idea what the following months would bring, but he knew that no matter what, they would always have a connection. Maybe it was destiny, although he didn't really believe in that stuff, but he knew that the feelings that they had for each other were so strong that they would never truly disappear.


End file.
